Week 15: BCS Bowls Commentary

The bowls are set and its time for the annual, month-long ranting about how in the heck so-and-so got pared with so-and-so. See the full bowl schedule here. And the BCS has really outdone its own idiocy this time around...

Outrage

Not only is the BCS refusing to risk TCU or Boise ruining the bowl games of one of their AQ conferences, they pit them against one another when they just played each other a year ago in the Poinsettia Bowl. The conservatism (spinelessness) of the BCS does not bode well with the

risk taking nature of college football. TCU is not excited...you could see it in their faces when the announcement came down. "Manufactured enthusiasm" as a friend said and I must agree. They knew they were not going to get their chance against one of the big guys, and neither would Boise. No chance for either team to be like last years Utah...to show the nation they could stand up with the elite...no chance to pad to the case for the BCS to change its precious formula...no chance to prove themselves. Not if the all-powerful BCS has anything to say about it - and unfortunately they do.

Well Said

Yahoo! Sports columnist Wetzel said it well: "The [BCS] is designed to reward the big brands of the sport. Just as important as what you did this week, or this month, is what you did a decade ago. Perception is everything. The BCS sells this as fair....[The BCS] launched a clown-show website...that claims there can’t be a playoff because college football is incapable of figuring out how one might work. Sure, every other sports entity on the planet can do it, but we somehow can’t decide how many teams would be in it or where they’d play and so on? So stop asking. This is a ploy designed to create gridlock. It’s based on the idea fans lack basic mental competency."

Click here to read the full article.

Week 14: The Rocky III Syndrome

Remember Rocky III? Mick scheduled only powder-puff opponents for Rocky and he whooped them all handily. Meanwhile, Clubber Lang wanted his shot at the champ - but kept getting denied. When he finally got his chance, Lang showed Rocky that fighting only soft opponents makes you soft yourself. That's what we saw Saturday...

Back in August most everyone agreed we'd see Florida and Texas in the NC game. My how close we came to not seeing either. Florida played only two teams currently ranked along with three FCS or mid-major teams. The other SEC-East teams were having a down year. The Big 12 was also having a down year and that hurt Texas. Soft schedules take away the drive, hunger...yes, the eye of the tiger that top teams have.

Florida with Tim Tebow will always be remembered as one of the great eras at Florida. And TT was good for the game being an exceptional role model. But without the 3rd NC in four years they will not be the historic team they hoped for at the start of the season.

Summary

*Texas deserved to win Saturday only because the Nebraska offense didn't make any TD's - all FG's. Hand it to the Texas defense.

*'Bama deserves the #1 ranking more than anyone else...hands down.

*Cincy and TCU will have to settle since we don't have a playoff.

*Congrats to Sark and the Huskies for taking out #19 Cal...I think they got somethin' a brewin' up there in the Cascades.

*And, personally, thanks to Arizona for upsetting USC. For the first time in recent memory USC does not even show in the "Others Receiving Votes" list.

Pitiful Pete: Yes, another slam on my least favorite coach Pete Carroll. Can you believe this guy? Two weeks after complaining about Stanford going for two after the TD he does this...and all with that goofy, cocky smile on his face.

EndZone

Just a couple of funny videos for the week: Click here to see a parody on Max Hall's comments (I hope this is the last we hear of this). Or, click here to see the FSU sleeping offensive lineman.

Week 13: Rivalry Week

This was unlucky week #13 for many teams and a reminder that shear determination and last year's beating always trumps national rankings and odds on in-state rivalry week. We saw six ranked teams lose to their non-ranked, in-state rivals and one ranked lose to an in-state ranked.

Unfortunately for TCU, none of the top ranked teams fell leaving us still with six undefeated teams (the most this late in the season since at least 1989). Even after the conference championship games this week we will be left with at least five undefeated teams going into bowl season. This is where the BCS system simply does not work; it can not settle a true champion when more than two teams appear to have NC capability. TCU has but one more shot at a possible NC game berth - if Texas loses to Nebraska.

But, hey - it does look like we'll see two, non-AQ conference teams in BCS bowls. Little by little the BCS is slowly being chipped away at and although we may not go to a true playoff system, surely we'll graduate to a better, much improved system.

The Holy War 2009

There were a lot of good rivalry games this past week but this one, BYU vs. Utah, will long be remembered. I found it odd that the game did not receive much attention - before or after. It was the only Top 25 match-up of the week and yet there was little advertisement during the week and only one Internet headline the following morning. Obviously, the MWC still has some PR improvements to work on.

Statistically, the game was pretty even except that Utah had twice the penalty yards. Between both teams I counted no less than six Unsportsmanlike Conduct penalties...the mark of a true rivalry game where there is some serious 1-4 year old issues to settle.

BYU can thank their defense for this win. They held the Utah running game below their season average and forced five field goals when the Utes were driving for TD's. BYU's offense was much less than stellar: scoreless in the 4th, less than 150 yards passing, two end zone passes that were dropped / off target, aggressive in the first half but way too conservative down the stretch (four of last five possessions were 3-and-outs). It was that passive play calling that sent the game into OT. It was Hall's aggressive and risky pass that pulled out the win. Hall did in OT what the coaches wouldn't do down the stretch.

Credit QB Max Hall for pulling out the win in a high profile game...typically his Achilles heel. Hall had far from a banner day statistically but he made the right pass at the right time to the right man for the win. Unfortunately, Max will be remembered most for his comments after the game - comments he'll soon regret, comments that show immaturity and were simply unprofessional and uncalled for. Degrading comments towards an entire university, its students and its supporters over the year-old antics of a few is "classless", to use his own word. A reprimand from his coaches, and possibly the conference, along with an obligatory, carefully reviewed and edited apology will soon follow.

EndZone

I do not recall a year with so many uniform changes. We always see it from Oregon but this year I have also seen it from Florida, Texas, Missouri, BYU, Georgia, Notre Dame, LSU, Utah, TCU, Ohio State, Virginia Tech and Florida State. I'm sure there were others, too. Is it a new craze or just teams reaching for something to excite the fans and light a fire under the team.

Week 12: The BCS is Reaching Out?

Per my last post...if the BCS system is so good then why did they hire a PR firm (run by a former White House staffer)? But all this (see below) just makes it even worse. A system going on the defensive looks dubious.

A Facebook page...are you kidding? What's even more odd is that the page already has 1,500+ fans. Who are these people? The page consists mostly of comments from the BCS itself about why the system works.

The BCS is also on Twitter...who is following them except those who may want to destroy them?

And as of yesterday the BCS came out with a new website explaining all the pitfalls of a playoff system in college football.

SI's Andy Staples said it best in this article. But he summed it all up with this:

If the BCS really is impervious to a challenge... -- and all this nervous posturing suggests it isn't -- then BCS honchos don't need to explain squat. Fans will continue to consume college football whether BCS leaders communicate with them or not. When BCS folks try to talk to the fans, they come off sounding like Lily Tomlin in the old Saturday Night Live phone company skit.

Again, we needed the BCS 11 years ago and, granted, it has been successful some years. No one is disputing their claim that the system pits #1 vs. #2 every year (duh...you decide #1 and #2). It's the way the system defines #1 and #2. And its the undefeated #3 and #4, and the ranked teams from non-AQ conferences, and just the blatant unjustness of it all - that is what all the outcry is about.

Week 12: True Fans

Things are wrapping up. The top contenders have scheduled a few powder puff teams to seal their BCS bowl bids, there are no real threats for the upcoming in-state rivalry weekend (but you never know), TCU will likely not play in the NC game, and SEC die-hards will claim the 'Bama-Gator game the real NC game. So this week, let's talk about the fans...

But...before we talk about the fans: What in the name of all that is fair and right and good wasthis call by the refs in the BYU - Air Force game? Isn't every team, every week, trying to deceive the other team in some form or fashion? In a season where refs have come under fire these guys had a lot of nerve inventing this penalty on the fly.

College Football Fans

I tend to think NCAAF fans are a bit more "fanatic" than those of other sports. That is good for the sport...usually. A sport without livid fans is a sport with no future. This weeks topic comes on the heels of my own whining about poor play calls and unbelievable mistakes after the UGA game (see below).

My wife, responding to my whining, asked if fans really believe that players and coaches are not trying, not giving their best, each and every game. Good question. For many fans, when expectations are high and then not met, the fans are let down, frustrated, and it can ruin the whole day...or week...and they may not even attend the next game. Do such fans believe that the team and coaches were not even trying to win? Is it all worth getting upset over...or even violent? Please...let not our angst result in violence (a "fan" punched ND's QB Jimmy Clausen as he left a restaurant Sunday morning).

Admit it...we've all felt that there were moments, even entire games, where it seemed the team's

heart just wasn't in it - that they had other things on their minds. Lets give the players a little break since they are young, in school, in front of thousands. But the coaches...who are getting paid, and paid well, to make the right decisions...are they really not trying to win? Sometimes it seems like it (as shown below). But more than likely these coaches had a reason for making these calls...a reason that fans can't and don't see or understand but, nonetheless, a reason that justifies their high salaries.

Case #1: (pick any team) Calling a run up the middle on 3rd and long when your run game is averaging <3>

Case #2: (pick your team) Leaving in the QB who has thrown three interceptions.

Case #3: (LSU) The head coach calling for a spike with 1 second left instead of the potential TD and game winning play.

What about the UGA fans last week? Georgia played a flawless first half, going into the locker room up 20 - 6. But the 'dawgs came back a different team - in a way bad way. Dropped passes,

fumble on the 1-yard line, four turnovers, defensive breakdowns. Nothing could go right the second half. Fans were leaving the stadium with two minutes left while UGA was driving for the potential tying score. It was like walking out of a really bad movie just when it might get interesting (although that was not the case this time). Did the fans really think the players and coaches didn't want to win? Could they really just not stand one (or two) more minutes?

Tough losses are, well, tough. But true fans of the game and of the team will stand by the team, be patient, and recognize that the players and coaches are far more invested in the game than any fan. Their lives and their futures depend on it, while even the biggest of fans returns to normal life the next day not worrying about the week ahead of seemingly endless second guesses from ESPN reporters (and bloggers).

So ask yourself: Am I a fan of the game and the team or simply a fair-weather fan waiting for something to set me off? The schools and the NCAA don't care which one you are...money from either is just as green. But the team, the players - they want the true fans. The fans that will support them through the tough times and be there to celebrate the good. They want the fans who understand that everyone has a bad day, and that sometimes, the other team really is just that good and that much better.

Change, improvement, new blood and next year are a lot closer than we all think...

EndZone

You know the BCS is feeling the heat when they hire an ex-White House staffer to help reinforce its image in an effort to ensure the public that the BCS system is the best way to determine the national champion. Leave it to a government guy to pull the wool over every one's eyes. If the BCS system is so good why is there so much public outcry and government interference?

Week 11: Ranking Questions

When was the last time USC had three losses (2001)? How did Stanford all of a sudden beat two top-10 teams in a row? Are we looking at a 4-way tie in the PAC-10? The Big East had zero teams listed in the pre-season Top 25 but now they have two in the top eight. And, six undefeated teams remain this late in the season.

Funny Rankings

Utah's two losses are to teams in the top 11 but they now sit below eight 2-loss teams and evensix 3-loss teams. USC, with three losses, is still at #9 in the BCS - three spots above 1-loss Pitt of another Big-6 conference. Who comes up with these things?

EndZone:

From an SI article about SEC officiating we read:

"...Fans of other conferences are convinced the SEC will do anything to keep teams undefeated so one SEC team will play in the BCS title game. That isn't true. The officials work hard and do their level-best to make the correct calls. Unfortunately for the SEC, every major disputed call this season has gone in favor of an undefeated team....LSU got the first one on Oct. 3, when Georgia receiverA.J. Greenwas called for a mystifying excessive celebration penalty...Two weeks later...with Florida down 20-13, referee Marc Curles flagged Arkansas defensive tackle Malcolm Sheppard for a personal foul when all Sheppard did was hit a Florida player who tried to block him during a play....The following week, Tennessee visited undefeated Alabama. Crimson Tide defensive tackleTerrence Cody blocked a Tennessee field-goal attempt to save a 12-10 win, but he ripped his helmet off in celebration with the ball still alive. The play should have drawn a 15-yard penalty....A few hours later, in the Florida-Mississippi State game, a replay official ruled Gators linebacker Dustin Doehad scored on a fourth-quarter interception return when ESPN's replays showed a Bulldog had knocked the ball loose before Doe crossed the goal line."

Week 10: Signs of Life

Finally...we see a little movement in the polls with this past weekends surprises. I was wondering if those top teams would actually remain and we would be in for five more weeks of nothing new.

Wow

BYU shuts out Wyoming 52-0 (the same Wyoming that almost beat then #14 Utah last week). Of course, no help to BYU was yet another FSU loss and an Oklahoma loss. The come-back kid for Iowa didn't make the bus this week. Cal falls again showing that they were over-rated in pre-season polls....along with now 5-4 Oklahoma and 6-3 Notre Dame. Oregon, surprisingly, lost to unranked Stanford (who takes on USC next week). And with the 'Bama-LSU showdown over the stage is now set for the SEC Championship: #1 Florida and #3 Alabama. And there are three teams getting 1st-place votes in the polls...usually we see just two.

BCS Talk

TCU is now two spots up on BSU and hoping for a loss or two of the teams above them. If they pull off a dominate win over Utah this week, then win out, and two of the three teams above them lose just once they could be in the NC game (Florida or 'Bama will lose at least one). Just think, a non-BCS team in the NC game...and BSU sitting at #6 has every right as well to play in a BCS bowl. This season could mark the beginning of the end of the BCS as we know it. Obviously, teams and conferences that were once considered doormats have come up to the level of the elite and that merits changes in the bowl system - big changes.

EndZone

Let's talk women's football...no, not the LFL...I mean women's soccer. In case you missed the BYU-Mew Mexico hoopla this weekend click here. If the SEC is suspending refs for making bad excessive celebration calls what is the NCAA women's soccer administrators doing to the refs who missed all this?

Week 9: Tricks and Treats

The questions have been looming for a few weeks: Are Florida, Alabama and Texas deserving of the top spots? Will USC be dominate down the stretch as usual? Are we really looking at Iowa, Cinci, TCU and Boise in BCS bowls? Halloween 2009 answered some of those questions. And although the lucky 7 undefeated remained lucky, we saw a few losses of ranked to non-ranked.

Will the real top team please stand?

Texas? Yes...they were dominant, at OK State, impressive numbers, they looked like a top team and IMHO emerged as the best. Florida? Probably dominant...but Georgia has made at least three other teams look pretty good this year. USC? Not. Finally there are some other contenders in the PAC-10. And, yes, Iowa and Cinci appear to be for real.

TCU and Boise

Many (myself included) are hoping for two non-BCS teams to make it in this year to further annoy those BCS guys. To you BCS guys who are questioning putting both TCU and Boise in the big games: "Choosing right over wrong, ethics over convenience, and truth over popularity...Travel the path of integrity without looking back, for there is never a wrong time to do the right thing." (~ author unknown)

Halloween Costumes

A few teams got into the spirit by "dressing up" for the rare Halloween game but only a few of those scared their opponents. It seemed to work for Utah and Tennessee, but not for Georgia.

EndZone

After USC lost to Oregon, I watched in amazement as Pete Carroll again* showed unsportsmanlike conduct. He briefly shake Chip Kelly's hand and then turn his head away and keep walking as Coach Kelly was trying to talk with him - Coach Kelly even had to rush along side him. *(For those who don't recall, Pitiful Pete did a similar gesture in 2006 - see #9 here).

And from a Facebook post of a fellow UGA fan: Hey Coach Richt... I LOVE YA, I REALLY do, but listen up and pay attention reeeeeal closelike... helmet color is NOT the problem. Disciplined execution of basic football strategy and tactics is the problem. Fix THAT and THEN concern yourself with fashion statements... When you're winning, it looks cool to pull that kind of stuff... this year it looks stupid.

Week 8: New Ground for the BCS?

It's another Cougar...let down! BYU had everything going for them in this game...College Gameday on-site, home field, capacity crowd, national attention, all the Boise fans pulling for them, huge ranking boost potential...and they could not even keep it close. Hall seemed spooked, questionable play calling (run on 3rd and 30?), timid passing attack (under 200 yards), soft defense, ______ (fill in the blank with your own). The best thing for BYU this week was that FSU finally won.

I'm a true BYU fan, but lets face it...BYU does not currently have the athleticism to keep up with the big boys in the high-profile games. BYU is not the up-and-down team some of us thought they were...they simply aren't that good this year. For me, with this loss BYU sealed their place as a run-of-the-mill, middle-of-the-pack MWC team. And there they will remain until serious changes are made.

Time for Two Non-BCS in the BCS Bowls? There we have it - two teams from non-BCS conferences in the top seven. Is this new and scary territory for their precious cash system? I believe the days of the BCS are numbered anyway and two in BCS bowls puts us that much closer to a better system. Lets all pull for BSU and TCU...and maybe pull for a loss or two for those above them. Florida and Alabama are on a collision course to the SEC Champ game, Iowa has to go The Horseshoe, and Texas still has OK State and Kansas on the schedule. It could happen...

EndZone

What is "defensive delay of game" and what is it with Lane Kiffins dorko hat and 80's pop hair-do?

Week 7: Let the BCS Chatter Begin

Today the first 2009 BCS poll was released (later than previous years which reduces the amount of time the BCS hears us whining). The BCS (aka: Big Cash System or Bowl Championship Scam) is hoping it all works out in their favor this 12th time around since it has only worked out favorably once or twice before.

The top 10 in the BCS standings look about right for now. BSU will be unable to control getting to a #1 or #2 spot - they will have to rely on everyone above them losing 1-2 games. TCU could easily leap-frog (no pun intended) BSU since the BCS system will favor a tougher schedule. Intersting to note that their are two 2-loss teams in the BCS top 20 (Ohio State and Va Tech).

SIDELINES

The early season, super-soft schedule Florida had is showing as they struggled in SEC play last week and this week...USC just barely pulled it off at Notre Dame who is now looking down even though they only have two down-to-the-wire losses...BYU was almost caught looking ahead and we'll see what they are really made of this week against TCU...Few can seem to stop the Ga Tech triple option and they continue to roll...Cal saved the school $100,000 by taking the 8-hour bus ride to UCLA instead of flying...Miami did the same...their wins were well deserved.

END ZONE

The voters just can't see it in their hearts to leave Oklahoma out of the rankings...with three losses they still show up at #25.

Week 6: Predictbale

With the exception of some SEC surprises (Tenn spanking UGA, 5-0 Auburn getting handled by Arkansas, and Ole Miss not living up to expectations) , this weekend turned out about like we all would have expected. But next weekend we'll see some shake up in the polls...

...USC at ND (who just moved back into the T25...wrong), OU at Texas (will they become a 3-loss T25 team?) and Cinci at South Florida (does the Big Least really belong this year?).

BYU: Well done, well executed but it was an inferior opponent so it's tough to determine if BYU is better or the opponents just too easy. We'll know when TCU come sot town on the 24th.

UGA: Aaarrggh...again. When teams come off a tough, emotional loss like UGA did last week to LSU then they either bounce or bomb the following week...Georgia bombed, and big time. But calling for a coaching change? C'mon dawg fans, we've seen lots worse.

Florida Rolls: Looks like UF will have little competition in the SEC East and they just beat the toughest team on their schedule. Will the SEC West produce a worthy opponent for the SEC Championship?

Week 5: Set for October

IMHO, teams begin to come into focus in October. September is a lot of figuring out if the pre-season hype (or lack of) was valid. This month we'll begin forming the bowl picture...and begin watching the BCS rankings we all love to hate. October: USC - Notre Dame, LSU - Florida, Texas - Oklahoma, BYU - TCU, Oregon - USC, Bama - Ole Miss, and Georgia - Florida. Yea...the rankings might still be a titch fuzzy, but much clearer, by the time we finish off the Halloween candy.

BYU: Still work to do before TCU arrives...the offense just isn't tight. Three turnovers won't bode well with a more worthy opponent. The defense looked more like what we saw the first two games and seems to be making headway. FSU and OK losing did nothing to help BYU look any better on the national scene.

UGA: OK...the better team won. UGA has had some close calls in their three wins and it was gonna catch up with them. UGA was the better team the second half but you gotta play the whole game to win. Would they have won without the celebration penalty? Maybe, but they would not have deserved it given their poor first-half performance.

HOWEVER - Can we PLEASE get rid of the excessive celebration penalty already? What were the zebras thinking? Three 'Ex Cel" penalties (two on UGA) all of which were some of the most laid back "celebrations" I've seen. Oh, the insanity of it all. Why not just connect all the players on-line with X-box NCAAF2009 and let them sit in their jammies, not get hurt, hoot and holler all they want and not have to travel to unfavorable weather or fans? Check out an article and video of one "penalty" here.

No Respect: Missouri, South Florida and Auburn have to be 4-0 or 5-0 to even enter the top 25. They have probably proven more than some that have been in all season.

The Irish: They're not back...a sloppy, OT win against the SS Huskies (which I think are on their way back).

BCS Busters: Is Houston out? Probably, leaving BSU and TCU.

Rankings Rant: Oklahoma is the first and only 2-loss team in the top 25. And they stayed above some pretty good teams.

BCS Bash #1 for 2009

Voters that don't watch the games, suits protecting their power, rigged and re-rigged computer formulas that validate the human error in the BCS voting - it's all right here in a well-written Rivals-Yahoo! article. The first of many this season I'm sure. And Sports Illustrated has started an un-official 16-team playoff bracket that they will update each week whether the BCS big wigs like it or not. Unfortunately, SI just doesn't have the leverage to make it happen.

Week 4: Day of the Underdog

Six of the top 25 lost on Saturday...five of those losses were to un-ranked teams. Ranked LSU and Georgia both made last second stands to pull off wins over un-ranked teams. Kirk Herbstreit (ESPN) said he knew his votes for spots 1,2 and 3 but had no idea in what order he would put the next eight teams and feel good about it. And in the course of a week we move from one, 1-loss team in the top 10 to four. Yea...we're seeing the start of what will be a messy bowl selection.

UGA: The Devils went down to Georgia...they were looking for a win to steal...and they almost did. Fortunately Cox, Green and the rest of the gang fiddled just good enough to walk out of the stadium holding the "golden football" instead of losing their souls. Up next: #4 LSU between the hedges! Bring it on (just don't wear the black jerseys)!

BYU: The defense showed up this week (mostly) but the offense looked sluggish. Unga finally (in the 4th quarter) showed the spark and strength we're used to seeing from him. But BYU continued to show a lack of passion and exposed more weaknesses (mis-communication on passing routes) - both must be corrected before TCU comes to town.

Surprised: Oregon over Cal and Cal only scoring six points.

Way Surprised: Ole Miss nearly dropping out of the top 25 from #4 (17 spots!).
Way, Way Surprised: South Fla over FSU...thanks, FSU, for helping BYU drop in the polls.

Not Surprised: Miami losing to VT...teams rarely make a comeback that fast. Pollsters should know better than to vote teams too high too fast (like moving Iowa from NR to #13 this week).

BCS Buster: Boise State, Houston or TCU? TCU and Houston are currently posting wins over bigger teams but the BSU win over Oregon hasn't been forgotten. (And I still have to throw BYU into the mix...but that will only happen if the above teams stumble and BYU doesn't).

Week 3: The higher they are...

Since Saturday was national "Talk Like a Pirate" day then all I have to say is, "Aaarrrgh" about BYU and I hope that Bronco has the defense walk the plank Monday morning. Bowden is not one to talk like a pirate but I think his quote after the game was "Dadgum that was easy...like catching fish in a bucket!"

The higher they are the farther they fall. Well not really...BYU fell further than USC (the team that loves to let the underdog win one annually...maybe drama-queen Carroll has a heart after all). And Utah - they just dropped out of sight after their offensive errors. Not a good day for the MWC...unless you are a BCS conference.

BYU and FSU

Barring the three interceptions and the other two turnovers, BYU's offense performed well. But the defense...yikes...they were schooled, routed, owned, non-existent (did I leave anything out?) by a faster, more talented, better prepared and hungry offense. BYU's defense was on their heels from the get-go and, well, defenseless, against the pass or rush and a very talented QB. Much like last year...what we thought was a good defense simply had a meltdown, self-destructed, failed to make in-game or half-time adjustments and just let the FSU offense move at will, throttling them for over 500 yards. Let's hope they learned from this and that they put that learning to good use the rest of the season.

BYU saw their BCS bowl dreams fade with each FSU offensive possession (only one of which resulted in a punt). Bowden, whom I respect, did run up the score just a titch. Maybe to prove his naysayers wrong, maybe to make a statement (or maybe he couldn't help it) - but in my book it doesn't matter. There is never a good reason for running up a score.

SHOCKERS

Hand it to the SS Huskies...taking Pete down from his lofty perch and setting the stage for a resurgent program. Good thing UW wasn't flagged for a celebration penalty on that last second field goal!

SEC DEFENSE?

What is going on with the SEC defenses this year? The UGA and USC game last week had over 80 points! The UGA and ARK had over 90 points! The PAC-10 scores look more like the traditional SEC scores.

CONTENDER or PRETENDER?

UW moved into the #24 spot and FSU jumped to #18 - two of 10 1-loss teams already in the top 25. Wow. I think BYU was moved too far up too fast and I find it hard to believe the voters are already doing the same with others.

Week 2: Funny Clip from UGA Game

South Carolina has the ball, about 30 seconds left, 4th and 4 on the 8 yard line, the game winning play fails...watch the two Georgia State Troopers behind Steve Spurrier as Spurrier turns around (click here).

Week 2: Blowouts and Close Calls

Lots of offense, lots of defense, very little middle ground. I actually nodded off during the less-than-3-hour BYU game and was on the edge of my seat most of the 4-hour Georgia game.

Although playing a team that hasn't has any success lately, BYU looked very good after a slow start. Things seemed to be clicking and they should be healthy and ready for FSU this week. That is FSU that barely pulled out a win over an FCS school...and they did that in the last two minutes.

Lots of close calls: OK State came back after being down and then let it slip away. UGA would have lost to South Carolina if the Carolina QB would have looked to his left on their last play. The USC - OSU and the ND - Michigan game came down to who had the ball last. Texas struggled initially with Wyoming and Utah was tied with San Jose State in the 4th quarter. There were plenty more: Colorado State - Weber State, UCLA - Tenn, Ore State - UNLV, and the list goes on...

I think this past weekend was a peek at things to come...more surprises and upsets that'll leave us scratching our heads.

Week 1: An NCAAF Cornucopia

Week 1 has come and gone and it did not disappoint. Blowouts, upsets, season-ending injuries, shockers, passion, "cheerleaders...with sweat on their backs" - it was all there as expected and we are finally underway.

BYU: Better than OK (and than most expected)

Cougar fans were hoping, maybe even praying, but very few actually expected, the low-scoring, down to the wire, near unbelievable win over #3 Oklahoma. All very reminiscent of the '84 season that also started with a high-profile win (over #3 Pittsburgh) and ended with all zeroes in the "L" column...and also reminiscent of the '90 early season win over #1 Miami...that ended with losses to Oregon, Hawaii and Texas A&M. Saturday nights performance was the best BYU defensive effort I've seen in a long, long time. There was also some of the most impressive and aggressive play calling down the stretch that I've ever seen (the 4th down call was the play of the game IMHO).

Judging solely on this one game, I think this is BYU's moment to make a big statement. BYU appears to have the talent, the experience, the coaching, the hunger and passion (that were absent last year) and more importantly - the schedule, to capitalize on what Boise State, Hawaii and Utah have been chipping away at the past few years. This is an opportunity not presented to those teams; an opportunity where BYU and the MWC conference as a whole can become the benefactor. Don't let this one slip away.

I like SI's Mandel column about the BYU possibilities.

The Sucker Punch

We love the passion in college football...no other sport can touch this level of heart and soul. But when that passion results in post-game blows and going after the crowd then its gone way, way too far. Kudos to the Oregon head coach for making a tough decision but one which will undoubtedly prevent such occurrences in the future from his and other teams.

The Not So Big 10

Wins over patsy teams - and some of those wins were a pretty close shave. Enough said.

Not So OK in Stillwater

UGA started out as expected but OSU found their defense and their offense eventually wore down the SEC defense. Ouch...that would have been a long, long drive back had I gone to the game as originally planned.

Five Predictions for 2009

Below are five of my 2009 season predictions. Yea...maybe a bit out there but we've seen stranger things. It could happen...

1. Florida does not finish #1. Most polls have them listed #1 based on their number of returning starters and their favorable schedule. But it's dang difficult to repeat...even for Florida. And though they have plenty of defensive depth (returning all starters AND back-ups) they are really just one solid sack away from losing Tebow.

2. Colt McCoy takes the Heisman. Sure...most are already leaning towards Tebow and Bradford but I think McCoy has quietly been putting together the right mix of dramatic play and off-field commentary to swing just enough voters his way.

3. Surprise Teams 2009: BYU finally goes to a BCS bowl. I've seen it before...teams think they are in a re-building year and lo and behold they start winning and can't stop. Wins over OU and FSU would provide confidence and momentum for the rest of their season, sealing a place in the ever-growing list of BCS Busters.

4. The PAC-10 Gap Widens. In 2008 five P10 teams went to bowls...and won. The other five didn't even qualify for a bowl. The Pac-10 is NCAA's third world economy (rich and poor - no middle incomes). I think in 2009 that gap will simply widen with even fewer bowl eligible teams and continued dominance by the select few.

5. The Big-10 Exposed. In 2009 more NCAA fans will recognize the patsiness of the Big-10 and realize that power college football has moved from the north-east and mid-west to the south and west.

Gator Nation Encore?

NCAA 2009...welcome to the Tim Tebow Show, Part III. Will this season be TT's swansong? Another Heisman? Another Title? Can Florida and Urban "Whiner" Meyer actually pull it off again? It has been an amazing feature to watch but it will come to an end in January 2010 when TT plays his last college game, the final installment of the Tim Tebow Show series.

The Gators are talented and deep and hand it to Tim Tebow for setting a new standard for leaders and sports heroes...one I hope will be around a long time. Being the UGA fan I am I am not pulling for another Gator title but I do respect TT and all he has done for the sport.

The Gator nation is alive and well. As I drive around in my truck with a UGA front tag, UGA sticker on back window and UGA antenna ball I often hear "Go Gators!" These are stickers I've had for ~8 years and only in last 2-3 years do I hear such yelling.

And why not? The planets are aligning for a heck of a Florida season...a slow start playing Charleston Southern (?), Troy and Tennessee at home before heading to Kentucky, then their toughest away game - at LSU but it's after a bye week (during which LSU will be getting pounded at UGA).

Hand it to Meyer and staff...they have put together an amazing run. But it's tough to repeat. And one bad slip by Tebow or one hard sack and the wind will be sucked right out of their sails. Sure, they probably have an amazing back-up QB...but I can guarantee you it is not one with the leadership, the grit, the shear toughness and talent and commitment of Tim.

Lets Get Started 2009

Finally...we can start talking college football again. The off-season seems soooooo long (unless you are a basketball and baseball fan...which I'm not).

I sometimes ask myself why it is that college football is the one and only sport I follow. Why is it we anticipate this time of year so, so much? Why is it that college football seems to have something other sports just don't? Why do other sports seem to not even compare?

I found the answers in a Rivals February 2009 article. I don't necessarily agree with the order but I challenge any other sport to come up with a better list.

I would add that NCAAF has pre-season and post-season controversy like no other sport, and the hysteria and passion associated with the sport (whether you are at the game or watching it on a 9" B&W) is second to none.

Rivals.com Top 10 Reasons College Football Rules:
#10. Overtime
#9. Fight Songs
#8. Creative Offenses
#7. College Towns on Gameday
#6. Live Mascots
#5. Rivalries
#4. The Regular Season
#3. Marching Bands
#2. Tradition
#1. Passion

Read the full article here.

Final Word on 2008 Season

Another year, another SEC champion (that's three in a row; first time that has happened since 1978-1980...also the SEC). And plenty more of the "who's really #1" and "out with the BCS" controversies we all enjoy and that provide us with more than enough water cooler fodder. And, yes, maybe it really is time to break out the torches and pitchforks now and make our stand against the BCS.

Congrats to Nathan for wining the pre-season picks contest. (OK...Gomer actually scored higher but Gomer failed to follow the un-written rules). Seven of us beat the Sports Illustrated experts and nine of us beat out the AP and Coaches pre-season polls. And if you can't wait to start thinking about next year: click here.

Congrats to Robert (me) for winning the bowl pick-em contest (by a slim margin).

TITLE GAME
Florida deserves the national championship. Held the highest scoring team in NCAA history to only 14 points even while throwing two interceptions and committing numerous penalties -- not their cleanest game. A national champion with a loss has become the norm (two losses last year), but the Ole Miss win over TT in the Cotton Bowl and top 25 final ranking makes Florida's one loss not so bad. Oklahoma looked a little like 'Bama did in the Sugar Bowl...surprised and rattled.

What about Utah, USC and Texas? Utah really has the only legitimate argument...having taken down four ranked teams, including a former #1 and the team that beat USC. USC may only lay claim as one of the top teams in the land at the end of the season, but only behind Utah and Texas (who was simply a victim of the Big 12 tie rules). Personally, I think a Texas-Florida match up would have been better.

FINAL BOWL COMMENTARY
The PAC-10 bowl record, 5-0, seemed not possible after a dismal season. I thought they must have played a bunch of patsies...until I looked closer. I stand corrected...hand it to the Pac-10 for stepping up in the bowl games. Four of the five games were against ranked teams and the other against an up-and-coming Miami team. A bowl season like that should set up the PAC-10 for a more challenging season in 2009.

The Big-10 on the other hand, who somehow got seven teams into bowls, had four games against ranked teams, lost all four plus two others. Sad. It's got to be tough to be a Big-10 fan these days. (And how did the ACC get 10 teams into bowls? Winning only four? The BCS has some conference re-aligning to do).

BCS BASHING...continued
Again...college football needed a new system and the BCS has been OK at filling that need. But now it needs a makeover and something needs to be done. The BCS will fail - it's only a matter of time (I'm guessing 2014 will be the last BCS year). By then, we will have had numerous proposals that will result in a better, but not perfect, system. Per an article I came across:

The BCS isn't fair, but dismissing it at this point to crown a champion out of spite wouldn’t be fair to Florida or Oklahoma, who didn’t do anything wrong. Texas has no one to blame but itself. Its own conference commissioner, Dan Beebe, is one of four chief roadblocks to a better system. Ditto for USC and its Pac-10 commissioner, Tom Hansen. Just last spring the SEC brought forth a plan for a progressive plus-one model to crown a champion. Commissioner Mike Slive and his staff worked two years on devising it and it was the first internal, comprehensive plan anyone has even attempted to put in front of the suits that make the decisions.
Four of them – Beebe and Hansen, along with the Big Ten’s Jim Delany and the Big East’s Mike Tranghese – didn’t just reject the plan, they voted against even allowing discussion or study of it. They feared it would be too successful.
Tranghese and Hansen even retired soon after the vote, which means they didn’t allow their successors the chance to consider the future of college sports they will now lead. It was a particularly egregious act.
If Texas wants to complain, then badger not just Beebe, but the UT administration that employs him. Same for USC. Both school’s leadership determined the BCS was the way to go; it’s too late to change your mind for this season.
Utah has less blame. As a member of the Mountain West it has little to no power. The Utes are so disrespected that some of the voters in the BCS’ own determining polls admitted never seeing the Utes play a game this season before dismissing them. Utah is understandably frustrated, but it needs to use that emotion to work to the overthrow of the BCS.

For the full article click here.

FINAL THOUGHT ON BYU
From a blog on espn.com we read: "Of all the final rankings, BYU's is dubious. It lost to every good team it faced this season (with the exception of Air Force) and made a name for itself by beating up on teams such as UCLA and Wyoming." As much as I like my alma mater, the coach, the team and going to the games I can't say I disagree with that statement. BYU needs to plant some passion seeds, cultivate them all spring and summer and reap them in the fall.

Bowl Commentary

OK...there are still three bowls left (really only two) but let me get a few things off my chest...

LAS VEGAS BOWLEhhh...not much new to talk about...BYU failed to play all four quarters, showed no passion, no real progress from 2007. They (and we all) started the season with high expectations, they never beat a ranked team and they let the TCU loss get to them and they simply could not go on after that knowing that the "Quest for Perfection" was now impossible. There is a lot of potential returning in the fall but we'll stop on that note.

SUGAR BOWLI've learned never to use the word "impossible" when it comes to predicting college football - but I'm pretty sure I used the "improbable" in some form or another when discussing the Utes chances of beating Alabama. This game just stole the show from the rest of the BCS bowls.

Absolutely astonishing and completely unexpected. An all and out rout. A highly ranked, formerly #1 team from a "real BCS" conference was just trounced by the MWC champion. I would have bet my remaining 401-k (OK...that's not saying much) along with my first born against Utah squeaking out a win, much less completely dominating 'Bama on both sides of the ball. Unbelievable. Utah was all over 'Bama start to finish and just "...stepped on their face with a hobnailed boot and broke their nose." Utah obviously put together a near-perfect game plan, executed the plan to a T, did not let the media talk get to them and 'Bama...well, 'Bama believed the media hype, walked in over-confident and un-prepared for a team that was not only hungry, but also ready to eat.

Hand it to Utah...I'm proud of the boys up north (as hard as that is for me to say since I am a fan of the SEC and 'Bama winning this game was my top confidence pick in the bowl pick 'em contest). No other team outside of Florida and Oklahoma can even come close to making an argument for a national title after this (Florida and Oklahoma can only because the powers that be have already decided it must be one of them).

Will Whittingham really vote Utah #1 as he so adamantly stated after the game? By rule, he can not do that. All 1A coaches have agreed to the BCS rules, one of which specifically states that the winner of the title game must be voted in the #1 spot. (This same issue came up in 2003 with Pete Carroll when USC wanted the title because of their dominant BCS bowl win that was not the title bowl).

ROSE BOWLThis turned out as expected...the Big 10 just has not been that strong (even though I really admire Joe Pa and would have loved to see his team take USC down). But I was glad that Sarkisian leaves USC on a good note...really just glad he is leaving USC (it makes it easier for me to rail on them).

Carroll did not waste any time after his team's win to state that USC should have a shot at the title or split title. Sports commentators had to agree. But after the Sugar Bowl I think all that talk went by the way side...and rightfully so. Hey, Utah beat Oregon State and USC didn't. Utah even beat four ranked teams and held 'Bama to fewer points than Florida. Can USC even come close to matching all that?

BEST BOWLS (so far)
The TCU-Boise State game was a great game along with the Vandy-Boston College game. You gotta love those down-to-the-wire games that have you tensing your muscles and holding your breath (and you don't even know it) and you don't even really care who wins. Great match-ups.

The Georgia-Michigan State game displayed a great defensive first half (or poor offensive half) and then Georgia pulled away in the 3rd and 4th quarters. Just a word or two about UGA's season (since I am a fan):
Much like BYU, Georgia started the season with very high expectations, but failed to beat a ranked team (until the bowl game), lacked signs of dominance and showed little consistency. And again like BYU, after their loss to 'Bama, they notably lost some steam. Head Coach Richt won't make any excuses (because he's a better coach than that) so I'll make a major one for him: Georgia had 19 season-ending injuries. By the end of the season they had a 4th string man playing left tackle. (As a comparison, last year Georgia sustained only two season-ending injuries). As a fan, I'll give 'em a break and look forward to next year and just be proud that they still ended up in the top 20.